Bandsaw apparatus and drive assembly therefore

ABSTRACT

Bandsaw apparatus in which the driving wheel is mounted for rotation on one end of a tubular housing forming part of the bandsaw frame and is driven by an axle which extends axially through the housing, which is connected at one end to the driving wheel and which is journalled in bearings at the other end of the housing. The other end of the axle which projects out of the housing is a driven end.

United States Patent [191 -4 1 Sept. 2, 1975 Bond [ BANDSAW APPARATUSAND DRIVE ASSEMBLY THEREFORE [75] Inventor: Harold Urquhart Bond,Vancouver,

Canada [73] Assignee: Hawker Siddeley Canada Ltd.,

Toronto, Canada [22] Filed: May 14, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 469,659

[52] US. Cl 83/788; 83/814 [51] Int. Cl. B23D 53/00; B23D 55/06 [58]Field of Search 83/788, 792, 803, 814-819 [56] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 2,274,923 3/1942 Hedgpeth 83/818 X 2,492,824 12/1949Ahrndt et a1. 83/815 Primary ExaminerWil1ie G. Abercrombie Attorney,Agent, or Firm-Carver and Company [57] ABSTRACT Bandsaw apparatus inwhich the driving wheel is mounted for rotation on one end of a tubularhousing forming part of the bandsaw frame and is driven by an axle whichextends axially through the housing, which is connected at one end tothe driving wheel and which is journalled in bearings at the other endof the housing. The other end of the axle which projects out of thehousing is a driven end.

2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures BANDSAW APPARATUS AND DRIVE ASSEMELYTHEREFORE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l. Field of the Invention Thisinvention relates to bandsaw apparatuses, and in particular, to drivingassemblies therefore.

2. Prior Art conventionally, in bandsaw apparatuses used in theproduction of lumber an endless bandsaw is trained over a pair of wheelsdisposed in tandem on a frame. One of the wheels is mounted on an axlerotatably supported in the frame and usually belt driven from a suitablesource of power. The other wheel is normally mounted on a tensioningdevice disposed in the frame which enables the bandsaw proper to behighly tensioned so as to obtain accuracy of cut. The driving axle is,consequently, subject to high cyclic stresses which in time results inaxle failure and bearing damage.

In order to reduce effect of cyclic stressing bandsaws have been made inwhich the driving wheel is mounted for rotation on the frame itself andis belt driven through a pulley connected directly to the driving wheel.This arrangement is, however, not satisfactory as both the pulley andbelt are constantly showered with sawdust, resulting in-fowl ing of thebelt SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a bandsawapparatus; and in particular a drive mechanism therefore, in which thedriving wheel is axle driven to enable'the driving pulley to beconnected to the axle remote from the driving wheel so that the pulleyand its driving belt are protected from the sawdust.

In the bandsaw' apparatus of the present invention the driving wheel ismounted for rotation on the saw frame and has a driven connection withone ehd of a driving axle which is mounted for rotation in the frame. Apulley is mounted at the opposite end of the axle for receiving a beltor other driving means.

A detailed description following, related to drawings, givesexemplification of apparatus according to the invention which, however,is capable of expression in means other than those particularlydescribed and illustrated.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the bandsawapparatus,

FIG. 2 is a side view thereof,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged front view partially sectioned of a drivearrangement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawings and in particular toFIGS. 1 and 2, the bandsaw apparatushas a frame, generally 10, a tensionwheel 11, and a driving wheel 12, mounted directly below, and .in tandemwith the tension wheel 11. An endless bandsaw 13 is trained over bothwheels.

The drive wheel 12, FIG. 3, is mounted for rotation on one end 13.1 of atubular housing 14 which forms part of the frame and the tension wheelis mounted for rotation on a tensioning device, generally 15, supportedby the frame which maintains the bandsaw under high tension. Astensioning devices of this nature are well known, further description isdeemed to be unnecessary.

The driving wheel 12 is in driving engagement with one end 16.1 of anaxle 16 which extends through the housing and which has mounted, on itsother end 17, a pulley 18 which is belt driven from an electric motor 19mounted in the frame.

Referring particularly to FIG. 3 the driving wheel 12 has an annular hubportion 22 having an inner annular step 23.'The tubular housing 14 isreduced in diameter at its end 13.1 to provide a cylindrical boss 24projecting from an annular abutment face 25. The drive wheel is mountedon the boss and supported for rotation by frictionless bearings 27 and28 which fit against opposite faces of the step 23. The bearings arerestrained against movement longitudinally of the housing by means of anannular flange 21 which is bolted to the end face of the housing andwhich bears against the bearing 27 and maintains the bearing 28 againstthe annular abutment face 25. An inner annular flange 33 is bolted tothe inner face 34 of the hub portion 22 and also bears against thebearing 28. The flange 33 is provided with ring seals 35 which makeslideable sealing contact with the housing. An outer annular cap 37 isbolted to the outer face 38 of .the hub and engages the bearing 27. Theannular cap 37 is internally splined to receive-a correspondinglysplined end 39 of the axle 16. An end cap 41 is bolted to the outer endof the annular cap 37 to prevent entrance of foreign material into thebearings and the'splined connection of the axle and the cap 37. 0

The housing, at its opposite end 45, is machined to provide, an annularseat for a friotionless bearing 46 which rotatably supports the shaft17. An annular end cap 48 which is bolted to the end 45 of the housingbears against the bearing 46 and is provided with an annular seal 49which is in sliding sealing engagement with the'shaft. r

The end of the shaft 17 projects outwardly out of the housing and has akeyed connection 51 ,with the hub 52 of the pulley 18.

During operation of the bandsaw apparatus the teeth of the bandsawdischarge sawdust vertically downwards adjacent the driving wheel. Thepulley l8 and its associated driving belt are, consequently, not subjectto fawling. Furthermore, the axle in fact floats in the housing due toits splined connection with the drive wheel, and, therefore, is notsubjected to the stresses imposed on the driving wheel by the bandsawwhich is under very high tension.

I claim:

1. Bandsaw apparatus comprising:

a. a supporting frame,

b. a transversely disposed tubular housing mounted in ,the frame, v

c. means for mounting a bandsaw driving wheel for rotation on one,en'dof the tubular housing,

d. a bandsaw tension wheelmounted for rotation on the supporting framein tandem with the driving wheel, 1

' e. a drive shaft extending through the housing and connected at oneend, in driving engagement with the driving wheel, 7

f. bearing means at the opposite end of the housing for rotatablysupporting the drive shaft.

g. means at the opposite end of the drive shaft for shaft has a splinedconnection with the driving wheel.

1. Bandsaw apparatus comprising: a. a supporting frame, b. atransversely disposed tubular housing mounted in the frame, c. means formounting a bandsaw driving wheel for rotation on one end of the tubularhousing, d. a bandsaw tension wheel mounted for rotation on thesupporting frame in tandem with the driving wheel, e. a drive shaftextending through the housing and connected at one end, in drivingengagement with the driving wheel, f. bearing means at the opposite endof the housing for rotatably supporting the drive shaft, g. means at theopposite end of the drive shaft for driving the latter.
 2. Apparatus asclaimed in claim 1 in which the drive shaft has a splined connectionwith the driving wheel.